Filter theory

• what is the filter theory?


  when we filter out and narrow down our range of potential partners
• who came up with the filter theory?

  Kerkhof and Davis 1962
• what are the 3 levels of the filter theory?


  social demography

  similarity and attitudes

  complementary
• what does social demography mean?

  where you physically are in the world, social class, education level, ethnic group and religion.

  you are more likely to meet someone more demographically similar to you.

  people who are considered to different from you are not counted as potential partners.
• what do similarity and attitudes mean?


  we often share important beliefs and values because we are demographically similar.

  having similar attitudes and beliefs is important at the start of a relationship as it helps create a stronger bond.

  if the similarities aren't there then the relationship may fade.
• what does complementary mean?


  in order for a relationship to develop further you need to complement your partner.

  one partner will have some traits and the other with have some more. this is important for relationships to be long-lasting.

  opposites attract- the feeling of being whole.
• support for filter theory comes research from?


  Winch 1958
• what did Winch find?


  that there was evidence to support the idea that similarities of personality, interests and attitudes are typical at the earliest stages of a relationship.

  complementarity of needs is more important than similarity in partners happily married for several years.
• why was the filter theory difficult to replicate?


  Levinger 1974 said that many studies have failed to replicate the original findings used to form the filter theory.

  it was also difficult to define the depth of a relationship based on its length. it assumes people are more committed the longer they are with someone, therefore, it is difficult to apply the filter theory to every heterosexual couple in an individualistic culture.
• who were the 2 studies that gave a direction to cause and effect?

  Anderson 2003 and Davis and Rusbult 2001
• what did Anderson argue?


  couples become more similar over time. emotional convergence helps to maintain a relationship
• what did Davis and Rusbult argue?


  attitude alignment occurs in long-term relationships these studies suggest similary is an effect of attraction rather than a cause.
• what does the filter theory assume?


  people are attracted to each other because they are similar
• how is there lack of temporal validity within the filter theory?


  social media/online dating has reduced the importance of social demographic variables.

  means its much easier to create a romantic relationship with someone who is not geographically similar to you.
• is the filter theory similarity or complementarity?


  Anderson 2003 argued that similarity increases over time and complementarity isn't necessarily a common feature in long-term relationships.

  Gruber-Baldini et al. 1995 found similarities between spouses in terms of intellectual abilities and attitudinal flexibility increased over a 14 year period.